Suzanne Farrell's Notes from the Ballet

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On Balanchine's Who Cares?

On the All American program, Apr. 3, 5, 6 eves. & 7 mat.

While working together in late 1930s Hollywood on the film The Goldwyn Follies, George Gershwin and George Balanchine had discussed collaborating on an original ballet. Unfortunately, their intentions never came to fruition, as Gershwin tragically passed away while finishing the score for the film, at the young age of 38.

Balanchine had many fond memories of choreographing The Goldwyn Follies, and he knew all the lyrics to Gershwin's songs. So it only stands to reason that, sooner or later, Balanchine would choreograph his own ballet to the composer's beloved music.

Flash forward to 1970, nearly 35 years later: Balanchine's company premiered Who Cares? danced to 17 of Gershwin's works as orchestrated by Hershy Kay. I remember seeing it that winter, right before moving to Belgium to work with Maurice Béjart, and getting swept away in all the ballet's energy and fun. I knew so many of the songs from my own childhood, even though they were composed years before I was born. They have such a classic, contemporary sound no matter when you listen to them.

On opening night, the company had only completed orchestrations for the first and last songs in the ballet—"Strike Up the Band" and "I Got Rhythm. " The remaining songs were played live on a single piano, with the exception of the charming "Clap Yo' Hands," which was performed to an old Gershwin recording. (Balanchine eventually removed that part from the ballet in 1976, perhaps because of the recording's grainy quality.) There was no scenery until late 1970, but there were costumes, originally designed by Karinska. The ballet was an instant success.

It begins with the ensemble, who collectively dance "Strike Up the Band" and "Sweet and Low Down," followed by "Somebody Loves Me" for the women and "Bidin' My Time" for the men. Next, couples from the ensemble perform sequential pas de deux to "S' Wonderful," "That Certain Feeling," "Do Do Do," and "Lady Be Good. " It's truly lovely how they all flow one into the other.

By that point, you certainly feel as though you've enjoyed a full ballet, but that's just the beginning! Now the focus shifts to the principal dancers. Three women each partner with the same man in their own pas de deux, interspersed with solo variations for all four performers.

Karin von Aroldingen, Marnee Morris, Patricia McBride, and Jacques d'Amboise originated these roles; I eventually performed Patty's parts in the pas de deux with Jacques for "The Man I Love" and the solo for "Fascinatin' Rhythm. " Audiences will also thrill to seeing "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise," "Embraceable You," "My One and Only," "Liza" and "Who Cares?" choreographed the way Balanchine imagined them, all culminating in the grand finale to "I Got Rhythm. "

Though there's no singing—Balanchine choreographed to the essence and mood of each song, not the lyrics themselves—I'm sure you'll be tapping your feet and humming along the whole way.

My own company relished the opportunity to dance Who Cares? in 2002. We felt as if we were experiencing the Great White Way at the height of a bygone era. It's a wonderful 40 minutes of joy, romance, and pure American nostalgia.

On Robbins's West Side Story Suite

On the All American program, Apr. 3, 5, 6 eves. & 7 mat.

I saw this ballet for the first time last September, when I was invited to New York for a special celebration of Jerome Robbins. I was one of 26 ballerinas who had worked with the late choreographer to be honored with a lovely "Robbins Award. " (See the photo—the statuette is reminiscent of Jerry in his sailor costume from Fancy Free!)The evening also included a performance of In Memory of…, which Jerry created for me in 1985, as well as West Side Story Suite.

First staged by City Ballet in 1995, West Side Story Suite is a compendium of songs from the iconic 1957 musical that was a modern-day retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The selection of songs rings close to the sequence of music featured in the 1989 anthology Jerome Robbins' Broadway. (That hit show also featured numbers from The King and I, Gypsy, On the Town, and other musicals that Jerry either directed or choreographed over the years.

Even before I began performing professionally or had met Jerry, I loved singing and dancing in my living room to West Side Story. One of the boys from my ballet school, Eddie Roll, landed a featured role (I think it was "Action") in the original Broadway production. We were all so excited.

For the ballet suite, Jerry kept the atmosphere of the original musical intact, but the songs aren't necessarily in the same order as before. There's the "Prologue," "Dance at the Gym," "Cool," "America," "The Rumble," and "Somewhere" ballets, but this time around it all adds up to more of an evocation of the story between star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria. There's also a seventh section—"Something's Coming"—a newly created solo for the character of Tony.

One intriguing aspect to West Side Story Suite is that some of the dancers also sing their roles, along with vocalists in the orchestra pit. Those in the ballet spotlight aren't normally renowned for their voices, too, but here their singing—in addition to their movement and physicality—takes center stage.

It's been more than 50 years since West Side Story premiered, and Jerry passed away in 1998. What great fun for dancers to dive into his choreography today, feeling for themselves—and sharing with new audiences—the unique sense of rhythm and musicality that Jerry brought to the world of dance.